New Zealand sleeper making waves

Offensive guard/defensive tackle William Hodgman (6-2, 315, 5.2) who will be playing his senior season at Oakland (Calif.) Bishop O'Dowd has one of the most interesting stories you will find all year.

Hodgman is a very athletic big man who dreamed parlaying his athletic talent into a college education and he has traveled half-way around the world in search of his quest.

This talented big man is originally from the Island Nation of New Zealand where he was an outstanding rugby player. The problem with rugby is you don't get athletic scholarships for that talent in New Zealand.

In New Zealand, Hodgman played a little bit of American football and showed promise at the sport so his family sent him to the United States in search of his dream where he first landed in Utah. He had to leave the country due to visa problems, but returned to the states when that was sorted out.

Hodgman's next stop was at Lake Oswego (Ore.) Lakeridge where he started off with a bang, but only ended up playing two and half games due to dislocating an elbow now he's back to 100 percent and getting ready to play for O'Dowd still with the aim of earning an athletic scholarship.

In the weight room, Hodgman is currently benching 350, squats 505 and has recorded a very good for a big man 27-inch vertical.

The scouting report on Hodgman is he's very explosive off the ball, is agile and has good feet.

While most of the colleges recruiting Hodgman as an offensive guard, the Oregon Ducks are also looking at him as a defensive tackle.

"I am looking for a college that is strong in sports medicine," Hodgman said. "I really want to study kinesiology and sports medicine in general."

What makes this story amazing his Hodgman's quick adaption to the game of football. His senior will be only his third year playing the sport in an organized fashion and he is already getting serious looks for his football ability.

Not afraid of hard work, Hodgman went to four camps to get himself ready for his senior season. He ended up attending camps at Boise State, Idaho, Cal and Stanford.

"It went pretty well for me at Cal's camp," Hodgman said. "I was selected the camp's lineman MVP."

"I learned a lot of technique work at all four camps and I'm very open to all colleges," Hodgman said. "I am here for the sole purpose of earning a scholarship."